Stream Survey Report: 2022

 

The Baldwin DNR Fisheries crew surveyed a total of 64 trout stream sites this year on streams in Pierce, St. Croix and western Dunn counties. The surveys went well with the weather cooperating and very few large runoff events. 

Overall, trout densities in most streams are very stable compared to long term averages. Total trout densities were lower relative to last year, due in large part to the high natural reproduction in 2020 and 2021 making total trout numbers extremely high in 2021. 

In most streams, natural reproduction was low this year compared to long term averages but adult trout numbers were high in part due to the 2 large year classes of trout from the large hatches in 2020 and 2021. 

The drop in trout densities experienced this year is likely a good thing and nothing to be concerned about as trout densities in 2021 were likely higher than carrying capacity for most of these streams and competition for resources was high. With relatively lower trout densities and low natural reproduction this year, we should likely see a jump in size structure in the near future. 

Some additional trends resulting from our survey work this year were drops in brook trout densities in streams where both brook and brown trout occur. In many brook trout dominant streams, however, densities and natural reproduction are up from previous years. There is also promising news from the Cady Creek brook trout restoration project which shows brook trout densities higher than in previous years and densities that are finally higher than brown trout densities. 

The Willow River Race Branch looked better than ever with good numbers of adult brown and rainbow trout. This year seemed to be the year of large brook trout in our surveys with a few fish larger than 13 inches captured in several streams. 

We surveyed 11 trout habitat improvement projects for post-habitat evaluations and all of them look great as far as trout densities and natural reproduction with densities higher than prior to project completion in all projects. Overall, the trout populations are in great shape with many aspects to look forward to in the near future.

Rush River Stream Survey

On August 15, we were welcomed with a perfect day to assist WDNR Fisheries Biologists with their annual stream shocking survey at trend sites on the Rush River. We started out at Stonehammer and finished up at Vino in the Valley. The larg￾est brown trout was 21″with a handful over 15″. It’s quite a sight watching tubs of trout being measured and released. We were accompanied by local dairy farmer Tim Colbenson who jumped right in to learn what we do. A big thanks goes out to Kasey and Joe for trusting in us to help them out and witness their dedication to our cold water fisheries.


From left to right on the back row: Jaylen Pavloski
(volunteer), Jeff Jackson (WDNR Baldwin), Dave Drewiske (TU
volunteer), Joseph Gerbyshak (WDNR Eau Claire Fisheries
Biologist), Kasey Yallaly (DNR Baldwin Fisheries Biologist),
Sam Jacobson (WDNR Baldwin Fisheries Technician), Nick
Kriewald (WDNR Eau Claire Fisheries Technician), Barbara
Redmond (TU volunteer), Mary Lilly (TU volunteer)
Left to right front row: Parker Verdon (TU intern),
Andrew Mehus (Buffalo County/WDNR intern), Ben Belt
(TU volunteer), Matt Andre (WDNR Eau Claire Fisheries
Technician) Not pictured- Matt Simonson (WDNR Eau Claire
Fisheries Technician), Tim Colbenson(Ti-Shi Dairy).

Stream Survey – June 2022

I recently had the pleasure of joining Fisheries Biologist Kasey Yallaly and her crew on a stream survey of
a marvelous little Brook Trout stream in Dunn County. Kasey’s crew is made up of three college- and
high-school-aged young men—Dustin, Sam, and Parker—who will be assisting her throughout the
summer.


Starting out with temperatures in the low nineties and finishing with the mercury hovering around the
century mark, survey conditions were clearly less than optimal. Luckily, the stream temperatures were
satisfyingly below the air temperature, making conditions a bit more tolerable. Mind you, I was just an
observer and perfectly happy bringing up the rear as I watched Kasey and crew swipe their magic wands
back and forth beneath the stream’s surface, and under tree roots and logjams, to bring the stunned trout
to the surface for capture and measuring.


Being a casual observer allowed me to see just how much work goes into surveys of this type. There is
a lot of bull work involved, the hardest of which is towing a small boat loaded with a gasoline generator
and a sizable washtub fill with water that serves as a temporary aquarium for the soon-to-be-measured
trout.


Once all the equipment is readied, a typical survey starts out with one of the crew members setting the
amount of current that will be generated by the electrical control box that sends a current into the water
through the hand-held wands. The electricity briefly attracts the fish and temporarily stuns them so they
can be easily captured. After additional safety checks are made and the wands are activated, the crew
members hook themselves up to the boat in a fashion that reminded me of a team of horses pulling a hay
wagon. Each member is armed with a net and a wand as they progress upstream in a well-
choreographed display of quick reflexes and hand-eye coordination. The fish dizzyingly come to the
surface and are quickly scooped up and transferred to the holding tank. It was quite amazing to observe
the number of trout that could be netted from a deeper pool or deep pockets along the shore, often with a
tree root thrown in for good measure.


At a predetermined stopping point, the net results (pun intended) are examined for disease and
measured for length, then quickly released. I particularly enjoyed this part of the survey—not only seeing
these beautifully colored trout up close, but watching Kasey’s quick-handed aides pull each specimen out
of the tank to try to get the wiggly creature to hold still long enough to be measured.


Fish surveys of this type are essential for building successful management programs. Each survey
provides biologists with insight into how fish populations are responding to current management plans
and environmental changes. Collected data enhance knowledge of water quality, riparian habitat, and
stream degradation, allowing biologists to craft unique management techniques for each system and to
achieve sustainable fisheries now and into the future. Climate change will necessitate continued vigilance
and well-conceived planning in order to sustain our quality fisheries. From my perspective, our streams
are in very good hands, and we are fortunate to have an abundance of well-managed streams from which
to choose when we decide to wet a line.

Trimbelle Nature Day Event

On June 22nd, Kiap-Tu-Wish provided volunteer support for the Trimbelle Nature Day organized by Ellsworth Public Library.  The event included engaging activities for all ages: a storywalk for the littles; printing making with fossilized fish; water cycle and erosion lessons with St Croix County EE Coordinator, Aleisha Miller; and macroinvertebrate exploration with Dr. Dean Hanson.  Attendees also had the rare opportunity to observe Kasey Yallaly and the DNR Fisheries team conduct a trout count.  The kids had many great questions about electroshocking and the fish that they met.  And anglers gained insights on local trout and the restoration and management developments along this stretch of the Trimbelle.  Kasey stated that the number and size of brown trout uncovered by the fish count in this restored section of stream was encouraging.

Thanks to Ellsworth Library Programming Coordinator, Caroline Herfindahl, for imagining and organizing this event that brought families together to love and learn about our streams.

Kiap-TU-Wish Trout In the Classroom Trout Release

This Spring, three schools, Amery Intermediate, Malone Elementary (Prescott), and Greenwood Elementary (River Falls), participated in Kiap-TU-Wish’s Trout in the Classroom Program. Trout eggs obtained from the Saint Croix Trout Hatchery were provided to each class and raised to the “fry” stage and then released into the Willow River at a site located in Willow River State Park. Release dates were; Amery Intermediate May 12th, Malone Elementary (Prescott) May18th, and GreenWood Elementary (River Falls) May 27th. Kiap-TU-Wish volunteers helped Dean Hansen with bug collection and identification. Fly casting lessons were also provided. 

River Falls School Forest – April 2022

KRLT/School Forest parking lot on highway FF

Last year, the community of River Falls and supporters of the Kinnickinnic River came together to help the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust acquire a 40 acre parcel connecting City of River Falls park land to the River Falls School Forest.  This parcel is now known as the Community Forest and is well-frequented by curious children, dog walkers and anglers alike.  This land acquisition also opened up a potential roadway for River Falls students to access the School Forest from highway FF, just south of River Falls.  After an uneventful ½ mile walk from highway FF, the easement trail branches off to the Community Forest and the confluence of the Kinni and Rocky Branch to the east, a highland field slated for prairie restoration to the north, and a ravine decent to a lovely bend of the Kinni on the western edge of the property. Currently, a diverse committee of school district staff, community stakeholders and resource professionals are volunteering their time and vision to develop trails, a land management plan, a nature center facility, and curriculum for RFSD teachers to get K-12 students out into the School Forest and down to the Kinni.   Development on the property is stewarded through a conservation easement with KRLT. The School Forest will continue to offer public access to hikers and anglers and limited biking routes.  

There will be a tour of the School Forest trails on Saturday, May 7th at 10:00 am.  Please register at this link if you’re interested: School Forest walking tour

Organizational partnerships

Walk-and-talk participants from left to right: Ben Toppel, Marty Engel, Scot Stewart, Kent Johnson, Greg Olson, Randy Arnold , Judie Babcock Foster, Matt Janquart, Rainbow Barry.  Thanks to Julie Smith for taking the photo.

Stream bank restoration done in the 1990s provides excellent river access to the public and good habitat for fish. 

Recently, a few Kiap-TU-Wish members met with Marty Engel and Julie Smith, land manager and executive director for the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust, as well as Judie Foster Babcock, president of the Kinnickinnic Corridor Collaborative to walk-and-talk along the the river trails connecting the Community Forest to the School Forest.  Marty Engel shared his expertise and experience with us as both a land manager and a biologist. After appreciating the stream bank work done below trailhead 12 in the 1990s, we briefly discussed the potential need for river bank restoration below the Powell Falls dam after its removal. Moving downstream, Marty assured us that despite the messy appearance of log jams and high banks below the mouth of the Rocky Branch tributary, recent fish surveys confirm that the large woody debris provided by fallen trees (though we curse it for stealing our flies) provides excellent cover for our beloved trout.  Plans are underway to move some trail segments away from the floodplain to avoid trail damage during floods and erosion at the river’s edge.  We will also be working toward invasive species control and eventually getting students out to plant long-standing tree species. If you are interested in participating in restoration work parties next fall, contact Kiap board member Rainbow Barry at rainbowabarry@gmail.com.